Thread: Glowing "hot" coals ...

Because LED lights last tens of thousands of hours, I'm guessing you are using the grocery bags to be able to access and change the incondescent pin lights. Unfortunately, unlike LED, these also generate a fair amount of heat. When I applied the foam, I tried to leave one hole partially open on the backside (away from view),on each wiffle ball. However, working with Great Stuff is a challenge and it doesn't always do what you want.

Regardless, I would be a tad concerned that the heat from the non-LED Bulbs could burn the plastic grocery bag. FWIW.

If you can use LED bulbs, all of this becomes moot.

Regarding the need for whiffle or ping pong walls, I just tried my hand at this project and the main effect seems to be to make it possible to get more height. However if you staple your lights to a wood base so that you are able to make a few LED bulbs stand up higher (the light wire is kind of stiff so bracing it with staples gives you more control) then you can probably get a very similar effect by stacking blobs of foam on top of each other (some foam under the lightbulb and some over). When I did my blobs I tried to make the foam mounds in between the bulbs so the bulb light would be visible more in the cracks between the mounds than under the mounds themselves, like real coals are. I also don't think its essential to use colors other than orange.

Rather than cutting my ping pong balls in half I punched holes in them and stuck bubs in through the hole.

Cost me $5 each for two sets of 30 orange LED lights at Rite Aid (they just put these on the shelf). Then $3.50 for about a dozen some ping pong balls at Toys R Us. Plus $3 for a can of Great Stuff at Ace Hardware. And this made a roughly 2 foot circular pile of coals. It's amazing how something that looks so ugly in the light can look so cool in the dark with the LEDs on.

We need another thread to talk about the cauldrons and different ways of getting fog and lights in there, or listing cool cauldron props that are out there.

Ooooo! Very cool!

I have been getting by with a black Christmas wreath and orange lights. But this looks so much better! Thanks for posting!

Originally Posted by GraveyardGus

It's amazing how something that looks so ugly in the light can look so cool in the dark with the LEDs on.

Great job GGus. I agree, it can look bad in the daylight. That's why I used some diluted gray acrylic paint on the foam to make it look a little more realistic in the daytime.

Originally Posted by GraveyardGus

We need another thread to talk about the cauldrons and different ways of getting fog and lights in there, or listing cool cauldron props that are out there.

FWIW, I've tried a lot of different solutions to the smoking cauldron challenge and IMO the best, easiest to maintain, solution is the use of a mist maker with LED lights in it.

See the bigger cauldron in this pic - you can't see or hear the aerator in this pic, but trust me - it's cool and worth the $10 or so at Walmart.

NO fog juice to buy or fog machine to clean / replace. Just water, lasts ??? forever? I've had one that I've used for at least 6 years. I also recommend using a cheap aquarium aerator to make the cauldron bubble.

Can you put the mist maker inside the filled cauldron together with the aerator, or does it have to stay dry?

Originally Posted by Delirium

Can you put the mist maker inside the filled cauldron together with the aerator, or does it have to stay dry?

Actually the mist maker needs to be under water in order to work. Shouldn't be a problem!

Ah OK, I was planning to buy one for a prop and had no experience with mist makers/aerators, thank you very much!

Yes, the mist maker must remain under the water level in a "sweet" zone not too far blow the surface of the water, to produce the mists and it tends to "use up" water so you will need to keep a pitcher of water handy. Start with a "full" prop and you will probably have to top it off during the evening once. The smaller the prop and the higher the water level is, the more frequently you will have to top it off with water. Only one small note of warning regarding the mist maker.... because of the way they work, the mist quickly turns back to water so the area immediately surrounding your prop can get wet if the mist escapes the sides of the prop.

For a large cauldron (as in my pic), if you set up the mister with the level of the water 5-6 inches lower that the top of the cauldron, the mist will be mostly contained inside the cauldron with very little, if any, water falling to the area outside the cauldron.

However, a small "bowl-like" placement as in the "wall fountain" pictured below, usually requires much more maintenance - you may need to add (less than you'll add to the large cauldron) water several times over the course of the night.

Thanks for all the info!

OK, this vid might be the exception to the rule "Better late than never." This was taken in 2009 and right after we started shooting, the program for the lights changed and you only get a glimpse of the best program in the programmable lights....